Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Blog

Like many other North Texas residents, one of my ambitions for the new year was to lose weight and improve my overall level of fitness. I’m a keen runner, but I know many other people in DFW enjoy cycling. Plano is the latest city in the area to encourage more people to turn to healthier and more environmentally-friendly forms of commuting to and from work, with the completion of their massive network of park-and-highway trails designed for cyclists and runner, linking residential areas to each of Plano’s 50 largest employers. City officials that it will not only prompt more residents to exercise on their way to and from work, but that it will also reduce the overall amount of traffic in the city, making it a more pleasant commute for those who must drive.

I think that this is a great initiative, and I’m looking forward to seeing the proposed bike lanes in Fort Worth and Arlington become similarly advanced. However, regardless of whether you ride a bicycle, run or walk, you need to be careful whenever you share the road with motorized vehicles. As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that in the event of an auto collision, the chance of fatal injuries is extremely high. In 2010 alone, 354 pedestrians and 42 pedalcyclists were killed in Texas car wrecks, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

It is important that you understand the risks associated with running or cycling whenever you are on a public roadway. Always stop at stop signs and red lights, and follow all traffic laws that you would normally obey if you were driving a car, truck or motorcycle.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a bike or pedestrian accident, it is important that you speak to a board certified personal injury and wrongful death attorney as soon as possible to discuss your legal rights. You may be entitled to compensation. Call the Anderson Law Firm’s Dallas office at 214-327-8000 or in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900.

Students riding on a Decatur ISD school bus had a narrow escape on Thursday afternoon when their bus drove over a rural bridge which collapsed beneath the vehicle. Wise County officials reported that they had received several phonecalls regarding the condition of the bridge throughout the day, but the crew responsible for shutting it down did not arrive until after the bridge collapsed. Fortunately, none of the children on the bus at the time of the accident were injured. Thanks to the quick thinking of the driver, Debbie Brady, the bus was quickly and safely evacuated, despite the bus slipping further into the growing hole in the road every minute.

As a Decatur personal injury lawyer, I would like to applaud the actions of Ms. Brady for keeping a cool head under crisis and for rescuing the bus load of kids from would otherwise surely have been a far worse disaster. Photos taken by emergency responders show that the bridge eventually collapsed completely beneath the weight of the four-ton bus, into the stream below. According to children on the bus, the rear of the vehicle was as much as eight feet in the air following the collapse, which meant it was necessary for them all to evacuate from the front doors of the bus.

Less than two weeks ago, it emerged that there are a total of 1,551 bridges throughout Texas which are considered structurally unsound by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Dangerous road conditions need to be addressed by the local authority in charge of their maintenance. Regardless of whether they are heavily-traveled ramps over major interstates or small single-lane bridges over rural creeks, if they are expected to carry cars, trucks and buses they must be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure that they are in fact safe to do so. Had circumstances been just slightly different, Thursday’s incident could have been a dramatically worse tragedy.

Any time that you are involved in a traffic accident involving a large truck, it’s usually a necessity that you seek good, trusted legal advice. Of course, if you’ve been badly injured, you’re probably unable to get to a lawyer’s office because you’re stuck in the hospital. That doesn’t mean that you can’t learn about your legal rights, so that you are aware of your options before you start looking for legal representation.

I’ve been a Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death lawyer for 21 years. In that time I’ve handled a lot of cases where my client suffered terrible injuries due to a negligent 18 wheeler driver. The fact of the matter is, commercial trucks cause a lot of damage due to their size and weight. The medical bills alone are often in the tens of thousands at minimum. It is vital that you are fully informed before you start attempting to deal with the insurance company.

To try to make life easier for accident victims who have not yet hired an attorney, I have put together an online resource which I hope you will find helpful. It’s called “Truck Accidents 101” and gives you a brief oversight of the key bits of information you need to know to protect yourself and your legal rights, before you hire qualified legal representation.

If you have any further questions or would like to discuss your personal claim in detail, please call me at any time for a completely free, no obligation consultation. You can call me toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900.

2012 is already off to a good start with the news that as of today, interstates and city streets alike will be far safer than they’ve ever been in the past. The reason is because a new law comes into effect today courtesy of the US Department of Transportation (DOT) which prohibits commercial truck and bus drivers from using a hand-held cellphone while operating their vehicle.

As a Fort Worth auto accident injury lawyer, I welcome this ban which was championed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Distracted driving is the cause of far too many car wrecks in DFW and throughout Texas – and given the unique threat posed by commercial delivery vehicles I think this ban has come not a moment too soon.

Truckers and coach drivers are professional drivers. It’s their job to transport their cargo or their passengers to their destination safely. If they’re texting or talking on their cellphone then they do not have their full attention on the road ahead. Since the average 18-wheeler weight in at around the 80,000 pound range it takes long enough to come to a complete stop in the event of an emergency. Every second counts. If the driver is focused on their phone call instead of the road ahead, the result could be – and often is – disastrous.

From today onwards, any CDL driver caught using a handheld phone from behind the wheel will be faced with an automatic fine of $2,700 which is strongly hoped will be enough to deter all drivers from the habit. Drivers are not permitted to hold, operate or reach for a phone while driving; however cellphones which are completely hands-free are still permitted.

Although this ban only affects CDL drivers, there could be similar restrictions facing all motorists in time. Just two weeks ago, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSA) announced that they would begin urging both federal and individual state legislatures to introduce blanket bans on cellphone use for all motorists. As a personal injury and wrongful death attorney who has seen far too many pointless tragedies caused by distracted driving, I truly hope that the rules governing cellphone use while driving become increasingly strict for all drivers.

Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released their comprehensive report analyzing the causes of auto accident injuries and fatalities throughout the USA in 2010. At first glance the news is good; 2010 saw the lowest number of traffic deaths since 1949. However, as a DFW personal injury lawyer, there are a number of details within the overall report which has me extremely concerned.

One of the areas which has me particularly worried is the increase in alcohol-related crashes involving large trucks (such as commercial 18-wheelers, semis, flatbeds and tanker trucks). Overall, drunk driving fatalities declined by 2.9 percent in 2010, yet the number of people killed in wrecks caused by intoxicated truckers actually increased by 13 percent compared in 2009. In addition, the total number of fatalities in large truck wrecks increased by 6 percent in 2010 and the total number of injuries in commercial truck accidents increased by 12 percent overall.

This is hugely concerning, particularly as commercial motor vehicle drivers are supposed to fulfill much more stringent safety measures than average motorists in Texas. Put a drunk driver behind the wheel and of course they are going to pose a public safety hazard – but when the vehicle in question weighs several tons, the potential for severe bodily injuries and property damage is enormous.

Unfortunately for personal injury victims and the relatives of those who have lost their life due to the actions of a negligent truck driver, the odds are stacked against you. National trucking companies have crash scene investigators throughout the USA whose job it is to respond immediately whenever one of their drivers in involved in a collision. Their goal is to ensure that you – the victim – are paid as little compensation money as possible. That’s not fair, because Texas law entitles you to recover all past and future medical expenses related to the crash, any loss of income due to injury or death and other damages.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a commercial truck wreck it is important that you consult with a board certified Fort Worth personal injury attorney as soon as possible. To schedule a free, no obligation consultation today please call me toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or call locally at 817-294-1900.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about some college football players who had brought a lawsuit against the NCAA accusing them of not doing enough to prevent concussions among athletes. As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer and a huge sports fan, I know just how dangerous concussions can be, so I was happy to hear yesterday that the NBA has introduced a new policy to ensure that players who have suffered a head injury must now consult with a neurologist before they are allowed to return to work.

The NBA has been considering introducing a concussion program since March of this year, following several players suffering concussion-like symptoms and finally came into full effect at the beginning of this winter’s training camp. Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher - an associate professor of neurology at the University of Michigan – has been hired as director of the NBA’s initiative and developed the new protocol with the assistance of several team physicians and athletic trainers.

Players that have suffered head injuries will now be required to undergo a series of tests consisting of varying levels of exertion before he is cleared to start playing again. The NBA says that the full process will usually take several days at minimum – and possibly weeks in some instances. That might not be great news for fans who might bemoan the loss of their team’s star player for several games, but the new policy is critical to ensure the safety of players in what is an extremely physical competitive sport.

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Mark A. Anderson is a board certified personal injury attorney who has been helping car wreck and other accident victims throughout the DFW since 1991. As a child injury lawyer, Mark understands the risks faced by athletes who suffer a concussion both in high school sports and all other levels.

A Dallas fire department fire truck was involved in a collision with a suspected drunk driver at approximately 1.15 am this morning. A gold-colored Chevy pickup truck was speeding down I-35 when it crashed into the back of the fire truck near Royal Lane. Police believe alcohol to be a factor as the motorist was driving without the car’s headlights on. Fortunately, no firefighters were injured in the wreck, but the allegedly intoxicated driver was transported to a DFW hospital with a broken leg. The at-fault motorist has not been identified at this time.

Drinking and driving is a major problem throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. As a North Texas personal injury and wrongful death lawyer, I’ve helped many individuals and families who have hurt by the negligent and irresponsible actions of a drunk driver. It is fortunate that no innocent lives were lost in this morning’s accident, and I hope that suffering a fractured bone will be enough to dissuade this particular driver from getting behind the wheel after drinking in the future.

This accident also highlights another leading cause of fatal traffic accidents throughout DFW: Speeding. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) acknowledges that speeding is one of the leading causes of multi-vehicle wrecks throughout the state. Unfortunately, speeding is even more common that drunk driving in the metroplex, with 75 percent of all US drivers admitting to driving in exceed of the posted legal speed limit on a regular basis (according to a survey conducted by Smart Motorist).

Having served innocent victims hurt as a result of all kinds of accidents throughout North Texas since 1991 as a DFW bodily injury attorney, I know that there are numerous possibilities for crashes to occur. If you or someone you love has been injured in a collision which was not your fault, it is important you are fully informed of your legal rights and responsibilities. For a free consultation on your situation or to request a complimentary copy of my book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case, please call my office in Dallas at 214-327-8000 or in Ft. Worth at 817-294-1900.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that traffic accidents involving commercial good vehicles such as 18 wheelers and other large trucks often result in some of the most devastating collisions. Wrecks caused by drunk drivers are awful because those motorists have absolutely no business being behind the wheel, but at least in those cases they are not pulling several hundred tons of cargo behind them. Semi-trucks are; which is why when they crash the result is often devastating bodily injury and property damage often costing the victim thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

The true extent of the danger posed by dangerous tractor trailers, flatbeds and other motor carriers is quite alarming. In 2011, Texas inspectors from the Department of Public Safety cracked down on unsafe trucks and buses resulting in one in five vehicles being taken off the road for safety violations. That’s 20 percent of trucks and buses: an insanely huge figure. The most common problems involved brakes, tires and lights malfunctions, which are critical to the safe operating of a big rig. In total, 66,189 vehicles were ordered off the road from a total of 331,505 that were inspected.

In addition to the vehicles themselves, DPS officials removed 12,301 drivers from the road for safety violations. This is hardly surprising as it has been widely experienced by auto accident attorneys throughout Texas that commercial truckers regularly keep two sets of log books in order to hide the fact that they are in breach of hours of service rules designed to protect public safety on our roads. This is a growing trend and one which is likely related to the increase in truck wreck fatalities. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDOT) fatal crashes involving trucks and buses has roughly doubled in just four years: from 8.92 percent in 2006 up to 15.96 percent in 2010 (based on preliminary data).

The report of this year’s inspections are important because millions of trucks pass through DFW every year. According to the Federal Highway Administration, commercial vehicles travel 20.86 billion miles throughout Texas every year. Being involved in any kind of freeway collision is serious, but when the negligent driver is a professional truck or bus operator, then it is critical that you consult with a board certified personal injury and wrongful death lawyer to make sure your legal rights are preserved and that you recover the full and fair compensation you deserve.

To arrange a free, no obligation consultation with an attorney, please call us toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at either 817-294-1900 in Fort Worth or 214-327-8000 in Dallas.

There was a time when most people in the DFW area would laugh if they saw someone out and about riding a Segway. It’s still a relatively unusual site today, although the two-wheeled personal transportation vehicles are increasingly growing in popularity – especially with mall security companies, guided tour groups and some wealthier local citizens.

Although Segways are generally still quite rare in Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, there still exists the potential for serious injuries to occur in a range of potential accidents involving Segways.

Pedestrians are at risk of suffering serious injuries if they are hit by a Segway rider, just the same as if they were hit by a car or a motorcycle. Of course, the potential for a transporter-pedestrian collision is drastically higher since Segways typically ride along the sidewalk rather than in the roadway which even bicycles rider must do.

Of course, Segway riders themselves are just as much at risk from suffering life-threatening injuries if they were involved in a wreck with another vehicle such as a car or truck. They don’t have any protection which means they are extremely vulnerable in the event of a serious collision.

Given the nature of upright two-wheeler transporters, there is a steep learning curve to learn how to safely operate them. Added to this, there have been numerous reports of defective problems with certain Segway products which have prompted almost 30,000 Segways to be recalled since the devices were first released to the public in 2003.

If you have been injured in an accident involving a Segway – regardless of whether or not you were the operator/passenger – it is important that you seek legal advice on your personal situation. If you were not at fault for the accident occurring, you may be entitled to compensation. Call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

We see them every time we walk into a shop; they are so commonplace that we don’t think of them as unusual. But we should. Retail hooks used to display merchandise in all kinds of stores across Dallas-Fort Worth are dangerous.

As a personal injury lawyer, I know that accidents can happen anywhere, which is why I constantly advocate for safety precautions to try and prevent as many accidental injuries from occurring in the first place. Display hooks are one hazard which is completely unnecessary.

A close examination of any such hook will demonstrate to you just how dangerous these devices could potentially be. Most are thin metal wires with an unprotected, blunt-cut end. If someone was to fall against them they would likely suffer a cut, scratch or piercing of the skin. Even those hooks which do have some kind of protection (usually a small plastic cap or the hook has been rounded rather than having a sharp end) still pose a danger.

Children are the group most at risk from suffering display hook injuries since many of these hooks are place within their eye level range. If they were to hit a hook with their eye they would suffer serious eye damage which could possibly result in permanent vision loss. Even those hooks which have “protection” can cause serious eye damage because the surface area is still insufficient to distribute the pressure which can result in a penetration injury.

Retail stores need to be held accountable in the case of such injuries occurring. They have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all of their customers – which includes children in addition to adults.

If you or a loved one have been injured in any kind of accident which was not your fault, call me today at 8517-294-1900 to get a free copy of my book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case.

Travel and Leisure Magazine has ranked Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport as the tenth most dangerous airport in the US. Naturally, as a North Texas personal injury lawyer, I find this gravely concerning. While it’s a well-known fact that statistically, you are far more likely to be injured in a car wreck than in an airplane accident, when the latter does occur there is obviously a far higher potential for serious injuries and fatalities.

A large part of the reason DFW ranks so poorly is due to errors made with air traffic control. The study looked at both serious incidents where an airplane crash was narrowly avoided as well as slightly less serious incidents where there was a significant potential for a mid-air collision.

Dallas/Fort Worth also has a history of very serious runway accidents too, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s latest Runway Safety Report. Within the past five years alone, DFW Airport has had 61 separate runway incidents, ten of which occurred within a single 30 day period in 2008.

Although aviation accidents are not every day occurrences, they unfortunately not the rarity you might expect. If you or a loved one is ever injured in a plane crash it is important that you consult with an airline accident attorney who can investigate the cause of the accident and ensure that the negligent party at fault is held responsible.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I always encourage my clients to resist the temptation to settle their claim for compensation until either they have completed their medical treatment or their ongoing medical expenses are clear and apparent. Only then can the true cost of your injuries be fairly assessed. Settling the claim with the negligent driver’s insurance company before then is premature as it could seriously hurt you financially if you do.

Scarring is a classic example of this. In many non-critical injury cases, victims do get better, but in some situations they are left with serious scarring which will never fade entirely. In the case of facial disfigurements, for example, the effect can be a lifelong reminder of an event you would most likely much prefer to forget. It’s like piling on many additional years of emotional suffering on top of the traumatic physical pain you have already endured. Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine how significant of a scar you will be left with until at least several months after the accident.

If you have been in an accident and have been left with facial scarring or are worried that you might be, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer. They will be able to accurately assess your situation and help you determine what compensation you might be entitled to. Often, they will be able to recommend you to a doctor who has experience in helping others who have suffered similar injuries in the past, and who could suggest appropriate procedures to help reduce the significance of the scarring.

For a no fee, no obligation consultation with a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death lawyer, some of the more upsetting cases I handle involve the unintentional discharge of a firearm. Most of these gunshot wound accidents involve someone inadvertently firing at either a friend or a relative. Sometimes alcohol is involved; sometimes it’s just bad luck. Whatever the case, there is usually an insurance policy involved that the victim’s attorney can claim against to recover any medical expenses or other costs related to the shooting.

Danny White of Plano has been charged with manslaughter after fatally wounding an employee, Dean Grimes (45, of Frisco), in what White claims was an accident. White reportedly told police that he and White were playing with the gun at the Northwest Dallas warehouse of White’s printing company when it unexpectedly discharged. Grimes died at the scene as White held his head. There were no witnesses to the tragedy.

This incident further underscores the need for greater common sense when handling a firearm. While Texans have a right to bear arms, playing with a gun is an act of grave carelessness. Grimes’ family is understandably keen for criminal justice to be sought in this case, but I hope they are equally aware of their right to pursue a civil claim to help compensate them for their loss of a loved one, and all the financial consequences that brings.

Yesterday afternoon an 18 wheeler wreck caused hours of traffic delays throughout Roanoke. The tanker truck was carrying 5,600 gallons of jet fuel when it crashed into a Jeep Wrangler on State Highway 114. The collision happened at the intersection of Litsey Road, although the exact cause of the investigation is still under investigation.

As a North Texas personal truck lawyer, I know that it’s always essential to conduct a thorough analysis of a crash scene whenever a commercial truck is involved. This is because trucking companies have their own investigators on retainer, so it’s important that the police can gather as much evidence as possible to determine the truth about what happened. It is also why motorists injured due to a negligent truck driver should hire an attorney as soon as possible following the accident to ensure their best interests and legal rights are correctly protected.

Although the tanker truck fortunately did not explode after the impact, the fire burnt for five hours and the dark column of smoke was visible over much of Dallas-Fort Worth. Highway 114 was shut down between I-35 and Highway 377 in both directions during the evening commute, but all lanes have since been reopened.

Injuries sustained in big rig collisions are usually extremely serious. Fortunately, despite the dramatic nature of this crash, neither the driver of the truck or the Jeep was hurt. A passenger in the Jeep was taken to a local hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a commercial truck accident, the experienced personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at the Anderson Law Firm offer free no obligation consultations to explain your rights and help you determine the full and fair compensation you deserve. Call us toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

Most people in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex know how popular 15 passenger vans are with local churches and other community organizations in the area. But did you know that the vehicles are so dangerous that Texas schools are actually prohibited from using them to transport children? The reason for this is that in the event of a crash, these vans have an extremely high likelihood of rolling over, which can cause devastating injuries and fatalities. In fact, 80% of the deaths which have occurred in van accidents involved a rollover.

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a church van rollover accident, it’s important to know that you do have rights. If you were a passenger in the van, it doesn’t matter whether another motorist was at fault for causing the collision, or if it was the driver of the van you were riding in who was negligent. You still have rights. You are still entitled to make a claim for compensation to cover your medical expenses and any other costs related to being injured in an accident.

For a no obligation consolation on your van accident claim, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at the Anderson Law Firm to understand your legal rights and responsibilities and the opportunities available to you. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or contact us online and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

A little over a month ago, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sent their inspectors across the US to do spot checks on 18 wheelers and other trucks for Roadcheck 2011. Officials in the US, Canada and Mexico inspected a total of 70,712 vehicles at 2,550 locations over the 72 hour weekend which ran June 7-9, 2011.

Here in Texas, semi safety is extremely important, particularly as the I-35 corridor runs straight through Dallas-Fort Worth on the way to Oklahoma. We have thousands of truckers traveling through North Texas every day, which is why there are so many commercial truck wrecks all the time. Safety is vital.

Predictably, the most concerning result from Roadcheck 2011 was that over half the drivers inspected had violated the hour-of-service rule intended to keep tired drivers off the road. Trucker fatigue is one of the leading causes of big rig accidents, and yet 52.5 percent of the drivers stopped could prove they were abiding by the rule. For a personal injury attorney such as myself, this is troubling. Furthermore, only 14 percent of the commercial trucks had electronic on-board readers (EOBRs) which were recently mandated by the FMCSA in order to ensure accurate recording of the time individual drivers spent behind the wheel.

On a more positive note, however, 98.5 percent of the trucks stopped passed the inspection of their license, medical certificates and record-of-duty status. Of all the trucks, buses and tractor trailers inspected, 80.7 percent passed the safety inspection of their brakes, tires, lights, load security and other essential safety components. Obviously this could still be much better.

Whenever a large commercial truck in involved in a traffic crash, it invariably causes massive property damage and severe personal injuries. If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving an 18-wheeler or other large truck, it is important that you consult with an experienced injury lawyer who will be able to explain your legal rights and help you make sure you receive the full and fair compensation you deserve. For a free no obligation consultation on your personal case, call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

As a Fort Worth truck accident lawyer, I know that it’s important for drivers and passengers who have been hurt in a collision involving a commercial truck to contact an experienced accident and injury attorney as soon as possible following the crash. Many individuals decide not to, however, and that decision usually ends up costing them in the long run. It’s true that there are certainly some personal injury claims that can be handled just fine without the aid of an attorney, but wrecks involving 18-wheelers, big rigs or other large trucks are rarely situations where I would recommend this.

The main reason why you should never attempt to recover compensation from the trucking company or their insurance adjusters alone is simply because there is so much at stake. A regular car does not stand a chance versus a large flatbed trailer. Substantial property damage and severe injuries are extremely likely to occur. The law in Texas does of course give you the right to seek full and fair compensation for any damages you’ve suffered in such a wreck there the trucker was at fault. However, the insurance company for the truck driver is going to do their best to minimize their losses. They will try to get you to accept the smallest settlement possible.

This happens all the time, and I’ve had many individuals come to me in tears because they took an early settlement offer that just wasn’t enough to cover all the medical bills they’ve since accumulated in the years following the accident. Unfortunately, I have to tell these people that there is absolutely nothing I can do to help them. They tried to go it alone and they accepted what the insurance company offered them. They’ve forfeited their right to the compensation they deserve.

Please don’t make the same mistake. I’ve been practicing personal injury law throughout Tarrant County and across Dallas-Fort Worth for over 20 years. Give me a call and I’ll give you a free no obligation consultation on your personal situation. It might well be that in your case you truly don’t need an attorney, but in my experience, it is always far better to be safe than sorry. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

A deadly commercial truck wreck in Fort Worth caused police to shut down I-30 eastbound this morning, causing significant traffic delays for commuters. TxDOT officials expect the interstate to remain closed to vehicles until Friday night while a thorough investigation is conducted prior to the crash scene clean up.

As a Texas personal injury lawyer, I have helped many big rig collision victims over the past 20 years. I know that accidents involving commercial trucks are frequently responsible for life-threatening injuries and fatalities. This particular wreck is unusual, however, as the deceased was actually riding in the 18-wheeler at the time of the crash. Police have confirmed that the fatality was a 14-year-old boy, the son of the truck driver. Apparently the boy was asleep in the sleeping area of the truck cabin while his father drove. Neither the trucker of the child has been named by authorities at this time. The truck driver has been transported to hospital to be treated for his injuries. His condition is unknown. No other injuries related to the collision have yet been reported.

In any traffic accident caused by a delivery vehicle, a thorough police investigation is essential. This wreck deserves an especially detailed analysis not just because a death occurred, but also because the truck also broke a bridge support, possibly causing damage to the infrastructure of the roadway. The reason behind the collision remains unclear at present. It does not appear that any other automobile was involved in the collision. As a commercial truck wreck attorney is certainly seems that there are a great many questions which require answers. Hopefully these are all questions which authorities can resolve within the coming hours and days.

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that no-one is invincible. Accidents can happen to anyone at any time. Even if you’re the safest driver in Texas, there is still no way you can protect yourself from the idiot who decided to drink and drive, or any other negligent motorist. Given the sheer size and weight of 18-wheeler trucks, it’s obvious that they can cause massive devastation and injury to any car or motorcycle unlucky enough to get in a collision with them. But what about the trucker himself?

Truck drivers are just at risk from suffering critical injuries in a traffic wreck as any other motorist or passenger. When two big rigs crash into each other, the property damage and personal injuries can be horrendous. Fortunately, truckers have the same legal rights as any other road user in Texas.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident while driving a commercial truck, it’s important that you consult with an experienced Texas truck wreck attorney who can explain your legal rights and options as they apply to your personal situation. Even if you’re benefitting from worker’s comp or a personal insurance policy, you might still be entitled to seek additional damages to help cover your past and future medical expenses and any loss of income stemming from the crash.

Call the Anderson Law Firm today toll free at 800-354-6275.

Fort Worth truck driver, Mahmoud Salameh (24) is in trouble in Idaho for both driving inattentively and for towing a 53-foot trailer without a proper permit. The reason he was caught? Since he wasn’t paying proper attention to the road, Mr. Salameh failed to safety negotiate a bend in the road and crashed through a guardrail, spilling his load into the Lochsa River below. Since his truck’s cargo was giant rolls of unprocessed toilet paper each weighing 8,000 pounds (30,000 when fully saturated) it means a massive cleanup operation which is why this flatbed truck wreck is making national headlines rather than the hundreds of other big rig accidents which occur on a regular basis.

As a Texas truck accident injury lawyer, I know that big rig collisions like this happen every day. Normally the results are far more serious that thousands of pounds of soggy paper and the environmental damage caused in this case. In the most sever truck accidents, lives are lost, people suffer brain injuries, broken bones, amputations. Although Mr. Salameh was transported to a local hospital in Missoula, he was released the same day. Fortunately, no one else was injured in the wreck.

Deadly tractor-trailer accidents are more common that you’d think. You should always be careful when driving near commercial trucks because you never know when disaster might strike. If you or a loved one have been injured in a Texas truck wreck, call an experienced Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury and wrongful death attorney toll free from anywhere at 800-354-6275 for a free consultation on your case.

After two years of uncertainty, due to a legal challenge and a subsequent appeal, Texas House Bill 148 has finally become law. The legislation, which was signed by Gov. Rick Perry in 2009, makes it illegal for lawyers or medical professionals (such as chiropractors) to solicit car wreck victims within the first 30 days following their accident. As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury attorney with 20 years’ experience, I wholeheartedly support this law. The so-called “ambulance chasers” that this law targets are fortunately few and far between, but they give my industry as a whole a bad name. I do not sue negligent drivers for the sake of winning a windfall payout for my clients; I help people that have been injured through no fault of their own make a successful claim against the at-fault party’s insurance company. The victim of a drunk driver should not have to ruin their credit or put themselves at risk of bankruptcy due to the medical expenses incurred simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time – the negligent motorist’s insurance company should.

While I welcome this legislation into law, however, I feel there is still work to be done. Traffic collision victims and their family members need time to comprehend the often life-changing event which has unexpectedly taken place. The injured person needs time to both mentally and physically recuperate. So why are insurance adjustors allowed to visit them in their hospital room? It’s true and it happens every day. Why do they do this? They can exploit the patient’s vulnerable state and get them to sign a release accepting an offensively low settlement figure, which will not even come close to covering the debt they will incur as a result of being in an accident. This is all about the insurance company minimizing their losses. I think it is a most unethical practice. Texas law gives accident victims the right to a fair settlement which compensated them for all medical costs and any loss of income caused by being involved in a crash.

It is a great thing that Texas accident victims are now protected from unscrupulous lawyers and medical professionals, but they also need protection from the equally bad insurance adjustors.

Mark Anderson is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is the author of the books 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case and Roadmap To Winning Your Texas Motorcycle Accident Case.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the answer to that question is fireworks. As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer I am utterly astounded at the bad decision the FMCSA has made to abandon the hour-of-service rule for commercial truckers shipping fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend. Big rig wrecks are dangerous enough as it is. I have seen first-hand the life threatening injuries that a Texas 18-wheeler collision can cause. Granting an exemption to this rule (which is designed to make our roads safer by eliminating sleep-deprived truckers) to those hauling explosive cargo seems incredibly shortsighted and dangerous.

Under the current federal guidelines, commercial truck drivers are not permitted to work longer than 14-hour days. This includes off-duty and rest periods. The exemption means they don’t have to count their non-driving time as part of their workday, which in reality means we could have drivers on I-35 and other major roads around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex who’ve actually been on-the-job for 16 hours or more!

Tarrant County truck accidents are always extremely serious. They cause massive amounts of personal injuries and property damages. If you or a loved one are ever involved in a pile-up or other auto accident involving a commercial truck, I advised you to contact a board certified personal injury attorney as soon as possible. We offer free no obligation consultations to Fort Worth commercial truck wreck victims, so call us now toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

At the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth, potential clients ask our accident attorneys all the time if their injuries are serious enough to hire a lawyer.

As you’ll see in this video, the scope and extent of your injuries will determine if you need to hire a Fort Worth personal injury attorney.

The lawyers at the Anderson Law Firm will never take advantage of our clients and we’ll tell you if your injuries aren’t severe enough to warrant hiring us. It’s important to be aware of the statute of limitations in Texas when you’ve been injured in an accident. Many injuries aren’t fully realized until months or even years after the wreck or accident, so you need to know that time is ticking if you want to pursue a personal injury claim.

If you think that the injury lawyers at the Anderson Law Firm can help you with your car accident or other personal injury claim, give us a call at 817-294-1900 to set up a free, no obligation case review with one of our attorneys.

As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer I have seen some catastrophic wrecks involving commercial 18-wheeler trucks and yesterday’s collision on South Freeway was nothing short of dramatic. According to police reports a diesel service truck rear ended a pickup truck which was propelled forward into another big rig. The driver of the pickup was tragically trapped inside his vehicle which was engulfed in flames from two explosions. He did not survive. No-one else was significantly injured to be taken to hospital, authorities say. Firefighters extinguished the fire a little under an hour after the crash occurred, although all lanes of southbound I-35W were closed for more than four hours in total.

My thoughts are with the family and friends of the individual who sadly lost their life in this horrific accident. I am sorry for your loss. Although no charges have been brought against anyone involved in this particular collision, it important that a thorough investigation is pursued after any commercial truck wreck as soon as possible. The trucking companies usually get their own teams of investigators examining the evidence almost immediately. It’s important that the victim’s find a truck wreck attorney to make sure their legal rights are protected too.

At the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth, we try to update the public about dangerous products and product recalls as much as we can by using our blogs, like this one. Our accident and injury attorneys know that these unsafe products are a hazard to our families and we want the public to be informed as much as possible. However, with so many product recalls and dangerous toys and the like out there, it’s impossible for us to keep up with all of them!

Did you know products like toys, cookware and lawn equipment can be considered defective even if there is no product recall? No matter how big or small, defective products can cause serious injuries to people, especially children. Texas law provides that people injured by unreasonably dangerous products are entitled to be compensated for their injuries—but what do you need to prove that the item was indeed defective and dangerous?

At the Anderson Law Firm, we recommend the following steps if you’ve been injured by an unsafe product:
• Save the product in its current condition
• Save all the manuals, instructions and paperwork that goes with the product
• Get the information of any witnesses that saw the accident happen
• Take pictures of the accident scene and your injuries
• If you are hurt, seek medical attention immediately
• Write down your injury symptoms days after the accident
• Do not give a recorded statement, sign a medical records authorization, or accept a settlement before talking to a products liability attorney

Following this advice will help you to get most value from your products liability accident claim. If you’ve been injured by a defective product, call the Fort Worth product liability attorneys at the Anderson Law Firm for a free case consultation. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact us today at 817-294-1900.

If you've been unlucky enough to have been injured in a Dallas-Fort Worth traffic wreck, it's important that you understand that your chance encounter with a negligent driver could have long term implications which continue long after you complete your medical treatment and your wounds have healed. You may not know this, but unpaid medical bills are the number one reason for bankruptcy in America. Doctors and hospitals are very expensive. Even with really good health insurance, the money you personally owe can be quite substantial. As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer, I have seen too many of my clients' lives ruined by the bad credit they were stuck with following their accidents, even after their claims have been successfully resolved and the bills paid.

Regardless of whether you were injured in a car wreck, a motorcycle collision or some other accident, chances are high that you're going to incur significant medical expenses over the course of your treatment. Added to that, you're probably going to be out of work for a while, so the loss of income makes the problem even worse. The good news is that in Texas you have the legal right to pursue a claim for compensation against the at-fault driver's insurance company. This will allow you to recover money to pay off your medical debt, replace those lost wages and compensate you for the very real pain and suffering you and your family have endured.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident which was not your fault, give me a call for a no fee, no obligation consultation on your personal situation. Call toll free at 800-354-6275 or locally at 817-294-1900.

As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer I know that some of the most devastating auto accidents are those which involve 18-wheelers. Due to the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks, if they are involved in a traffic collision the damage to property and the injuries suffered by those involved are going to be very serious indeed. Nationwide, 4,000 people are killed and 100,000 more are injured in big rig crashes each year.

One of the biggest problems facing the trucking industry is driver fatigue. There are government rules in places for the purpose of limiting the number of sequential hours a truck driver can be behind the wheel, but many operators keep two separate logs – one real, one fake – so that they can continue to work long hours and cover vast differences, whilst still appearing as though they are operating within the law. While some truckers may be motivated simply by the additional profit of working extra hours, it seems most feel they are given no choice by an industry which places profit before people and pressures drivers to meet unreasonable delivery deadlines.

The Truck Safety Coalition, in association with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Union, met in Washington to push for greater safety laws for tractor trailer drivers. Many public citizens who had lost loved ones in truck wrecks were also present to tell lawmakers their deceased loved ones’ stories. Among them were Ron Wood, whose mother, sister and three nephews were killed in a Sherman, TX accident caused by a sleepy trucker. Fort Worth Police Officer Robert Mills was also present to call for a switch from paper truck logs to computerized logs which he believed could dramatically cut down on truck companies pressurizing drivers to break the law. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is currently in the final stage of implementing electronic on-board recorders and also limiting the amount of time a truck driver can work to 10 consecutive hours in a single shift.

As an Arlington car wreck and wrongful death attorney, I welcome any new initiatives which both enforce laws already in place and also make both truck drivers and other motorists safer on Texas roads. If you or a loved one have been injured in a traffic accident which was not your fault, call now for a no fee, no obligation consultation on your case. Call toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally at either Ft. Worth 817-294-190 or Dallas 214-327-8000.

Did you know that 90,000 people are injured in forklift accidents every year? According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, forklifts cause thousands of injuries every year and in some cases, can even cause death.

Forklift accidents can leave their victims devastated. The injuries can be incredibly severe and life altering. The most unfortunate part of the whole equation is that a lot of forklift accidents are completely avoidable.

Most forklift accidents are caused by:

• Bad forklift driving
• Defective forklift design
• Lack of forklift driver training
• Improper forklift maintenance
• Improper workplace design

It’s not surprising that there are a large number of forklift accidents in Fort Worth with as many construction and industrial workplaces as there are in the DFW area. Even though most forklift injury cases are covered by workers comp, you might still be able to file a personal injury claim if the driver of the forklift was employed by a different employer than yourself.

If you’ve been injured in a forklift accident, call the Anderson Law Firm in Fort Worth today. Our personal injury attorneys may be able to get you compensation for your medical treatments, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call us at 817-294-1900 to set up your free forklift injury case review.

As a Flower Mound personal injury lawyer, I’ve learned that many people who have suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence are often hesitant about making a claim for compensation to pay for their medical treatment or loss of income. Typically they rationalize this by saying the car wreck they were in was an accident; accidents happen, they’ve completed their months of treatment now, it’d be better to put this whole unpleasantness behind them and forget about it… Sometimes people don’t want to bring a claim because the at-fault person is someone they know and are afraid of destroying a personal relationship by suing their friend or neighbor. This is the deal: you’re not suing your friend – you’re claiming against their insurance company. That’s why they’ve paid their insurance premiums all these years – that’s why you pay yours.

Full disclosure: I will never pursue a claim against an individual who does not have an insurance policy. I don’t know any Texas PI attorney who does. We are not in the business of ruining people’s lives, our job is simply to help those who have suffered physical injuries get their lives back on track. Hospital bills are the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States. If it wasn’t your fault, you have the legal right to claim for damages.

In some situations, you don’t even need to claim against an individual if the at-fault person was at work and performing a duty related to their employment when they caused your injury. A common situation where this occurs is when a truck driver crashes his big rig, injuring other motorists in a traffic collision. Another example might be a nurse who gives the wrong medication to a patient. While the nurse is of course responsible, the hospital is vicariously liable for her actions too. Therefore the patient who was injured as a result of receiving the incorrect meds does not have to worry about the nurse not having the ability to pay the damages incurred, because they can seek compensation from the hospital directly.

If you or a loved one have been hurt and someone else was to blame, please contact the Anderson Law Firm for a free no obligation consultation on your personal situation. We will explain your legal rights and let you know whether there is a legitimate cause for you to seek compensation. Call us toll free at 800-354-6275, or locally at either 817-294-1900 or 214-327-8000. Alternatively, you can contact us online and we will call you back as soon as possible.

As a Tarrant County personal injury lawyer I have nothing but respect for the emergency response professionals who help people immediately after they have been in an auto accident. Without them, crash victims’ injuries would frequently be much worse than they are. However, policemen and women are not immune to being involved in car wrecks themselves.

Early this morning, a Northlake PD officer transporting a prisoner from the Keller Jail was involved in a three-vehicle collision in Westlake. The officer was stopped behind an 18-wheeler big rig at a red light at the intersection of Highway 170 and 377, when a pickup truck driving 60-65 mph smashed into the back of the squad car, propelling it forward into the rear of the tractor trailer. Police reported the driver of the pickup had open containers in his vehicle and he is now being investigated for intoxication. Both the officer and the prisoner were CareFlited to hospital to be treated for their injuries. Their conditions are unknown at this time.

This pickup driver was doing several things wrong. He had allegedly been drinking, he was speeding, and he was ignoring a red stop light. He deserves the harshest punishment for his crimes and for the pain and suffering he has inflicted on two individuals and their families. I hope that both that neither the police officer or the prisoner’s injuries are two serious, but given the nature of the wreck, I would anticipate them being quite serious indeed. The reckless driver who caused this tragedy needs to be made an example of for his dangerous antisocial behavior.

Mark Anderson is a Fort Worth PI and wrongful death attorney who has been helping traffic injury victims and their families across the DFW area for 20 years. He is also the author of the book 15 Mistake That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case. If you have been hurt in a crash which was not your fault, call for a completely free, no obligation consultation on your case. Call toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or locally at 817-294-1900.

Johnson County parents are anxiously awaiting news to confirm the cause of a school bus crash which occurred early this morning on County Road 507. Fifty five children were on the Venus Independent School District Bus #11 which collided with a tree. Eleven of the kids had to be hospitalized for their injuries. So far there is no word on the driver’s condition or what the likely cause of the crash was. Venus ISD Superintendent Bobby Matthews said in a statement that the wrecked bus had an on-board camera so that more details should be forthcoming once officials had reviewed the tape.

It is understood that the bus was not equipped with seat belts which could potentially have saved some children from injury. Although state laws went into effect back in 2009 requiring all new school buses in Texas to be outfitted with safety belts, there is no requirement for older vehicles to have them installed. The National Transportation Safety Board recently conducted a study into school bus crashes after learning that 26 students die each year in school bus crashes. They concluded that while the overall design of school buses has not changed since 1977, the introduction of lap belts at a minimum would reduce the number of and the severity of injuries sustained by children involved in school bus crashes.

My thoughts are with the family and friends of those children hurt in today’s tragic accident. As a Johnson County personal injury attorney, I shall certainly be eagerly following this story to find out what caused the crash to occur.

The worker who was fatally crushed Tuesday afternoon by drilling equipment at a gas well site in Arlington has been identified as 34-year-old Nabor Alvarado of Alvarado.

Alvarado is believed to be an employee of Trinidad Drilling, a Canadian company working for Chesapeake Energy, which owns the pad site in the 5700 block of U.S. 287 near the Kennedale border.

Alan Kassen, Arlington assistant fire chief, said it appeared that a large piece of drilling equipment fell on the worker about 4:15 p.m., killing him instantly, during assembly of the rig.

This is a terrible thing to happen to someone while on the job, and our hearts go out to Alvarado and his family.

Hopefully, an investigation will uncover the reason for this tragic accident. While accidents are common on drill sites, that does not mean they should happen. Something went wrong here—either equipment malfunction or human error. Either way, the accident should not have occurred.

Information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. For more information regarding construction or oil rig site injuries, please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

A tow-truck driver from Ranger, Texas died in the hospital after being hit on I-20 while loading a car onto his tow truck from a previous wreck. Adam Diaz Lopez Jr. was working at about 12:20 a.m. on Wednesday when a Fort F-250 swerved off the road, hitting Lopez.

The Department of Public Safety said that no citations have been issued for the driver of the F-250 at this time.

My sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Adam Lopez. It is terrible to hear about a fatality such as this one occurring while a man was simply doing his job. The NHTSA reports that there is an average of 60 tow-truck driver deaths each year from roadside and job related accidents.

This information and commentary is provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer Mark Anderson. The Anderson Law Firm can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or in Dallas at 214-327-8000. If you have questions about a personal injury case please fill out our contact form online for a free consultation.

Tri Tran, a 52-year-old Fort Worth, Texas resident, died from work related injuries on February 19th. He was injured on February 13th from being pinned near the ceiling by a scissor lift, which is typically used for changing light bulbs at the Dannon Yogurt Plant in Fort Worth, TX.

A Dannon spokesman stated that they are not exactly sure what happened at this time, and are still investigating the situation. Mr. Tran died from head and chest injuries related to the accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is also conducting an investigation.

The possible options for the accident include equipment malfunction or Mr. Tran falling on the controls of the machinery.

Mr. Tran moved to the United States from his native country of Vietnam as a young boy. He leaves behind a wife and three children.

My sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Mr. Tran. The unexpected and tragic loss of a loved one is something we all wish no one had to go through. There are so many awful injuries that I hear about each and every day. Hopefully, OSHA will be able to uncover the true cause of this death and precautions can be taken to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again at the plant.

This information is provided by Fort Worth Accident Attorney Mark Anderson, who can be reached in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or online by clicking here.

A high speed police chase started in Arlington and ended in a car crash in Ft. Worth, Texas late Tuesday afternoon. The chase started in Arlington on I-20 near the Parks at Arlington shopping center.

The chase started because the suspect ran into another vehicle with their pickup truck, and fled the scene when police were investigating that incident. In the process of fleeing the scene, the suspect ran over a police officer’s foot. The suspect’s name has not been released.

The chase was very brief, and concluded when the pickup truck climbed an embankment on the service road, hit a utility pole, and then flipped on its side. After the car flipped, the driver tried to escape on foot but was apprehended by police officials and taken to John Peter Smith Hospital for treatment.

The Arlington Police Department found open containers of alcohol in the vehicle.

According the Mothers Against Drunk Driving, about 3 in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol related crash at some time in their lives. It is so important to educate drivers of all ages about the dangers and the consequences of driving under the influence.

I assume that various criminal charges will be brought against the suspect, including some sort of assault case as he ran over the police officer’s foot. I have a similar case pending now where I represent a local police officer. In my case, the “suspect” is charged with an intentional act of running into my client, and this affects the officer’s ability to recover compensation from the suspect’s liability insurance company (as the insurance policy does not cover “intentional” acts). My case has a ways to go, so we will see how it plays out.

Information and Commentary provided by Fort Worth Personal Injury Attorney Mark Anderson. Mark can be reach in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900 or online by clicking here.

46-year-old Bobby Gaddy of Saginaw, TX was tragically killed on the job yesterday morning when a tree he was removing fell on him. The accident occurred on Oak Court, a cul-de-sac off of Davis Blvd.

Mr. Gaddy was hired to remove a tree in the front yard about 30-40 feet high and about 30 inches around at the base. According to new reports, Mr. Gaddy and three other workers began to make cuts at the bottom of the tree when they realized some of the higher branches could hit the house. The tree snapped when Mr. Gaddy was up 15 feet on the ladder, and he fell and was pinned beneath the tree. He did not survive his injuries.

What a terrible accident. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Mr. Gaddy.

Information provided by Dallas/Fort Worth Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached toll free at 877-294-1115, or contacted by clicking here.

I was in Court yesterday in Tarrant County, Texas and the hearing before mine was about a lady who wanted to sell her structured annuity to one of those companies you see on TV, JG Wentworth. I don’t know the full history, but what I gathered is that she had been injured on the job with the railroad and had received a structured annuity as part of her personal injury lawsuit settlement. The lady was there alone and the only lawyer present was representing JG Wentworth. I learned that the lady received around $500 a month from the settlement (tax free) and that she was due to receive a lump sum payment of around $30,000 in 2017. Including that lump sum payment, she would receive a total of $72,000 over the next seven years. But in all her wisdom she had decided to sell her annuity for the whopping sum of $29,000. Wow, that was less than 50% of its present value.

The Judge quizzed her on her needs and it was not very clear why she needed the money. She had a job, had a car and had a house. The Judge made it very clear to her that he thought she was making a huge mistake. And he was absolutely right. She was truly making a horrible mistake and just giving away half her money. But ultimately, the judge approved it as she was an adult and if she wanted to make huge mistake, then that is her right.

My advice is to stay away from these type of companies. If you own a settlement and also need more money than the settlement stream provides, then do everything in your power to not sell the annuity—as you will lose over half its value in a sell. What can you do? Borrow money from others. Put a second lien on your house. Just don’t sell the annuity.

As an aside, I think structured annuities are great as they help make sure that the settlement money will still be there later. I encourage my clients that are receiving large settlement to at least consider the benefits of annuities. I refer them to Dirk Weeks at Structured Annuities, Inc. Dirk is extremely knowledgeable on these products and can provide lots of options depending on the future financial needs of the injury victim.

On a related topic, click here for my thoughts on Lawsuit Loan Companies.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson, who can be contacted at 817-294-1900 in Fort Worth, at 214-327-8000 in Dallas and at 1-877-294-1115 across Texas. Also, please click here to contact online.

Firefighters rescued two maintenance workers Thursday morning from the roof of Cowboys Stadium after they slipped on ice and slid 250 feet down onto a gutter. One was taken by helicopter to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for chest and head trauma and a broken leg and the other by ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth for a back injury.

The men, who have not been identified, work for the subcontractor Birdair. They were not wearing their safety gear when they went out onto the roof, according to firefighters. According to the Dallas office of Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an official has already gone to the stadium to start an investigation into this accident.

12 to 15 firefighters were involved in the rescue, which required them to use stretchers and ropes to secure the injured men. Thankfully, fire fighters have been preparing for such a rescue and becoming knowledgeable about every aspect of the building since construction first began

Since work began on the stadium in April 2006, 175 work-related injuries were reported. One person was killed in June 2008, an electrician who touched a high-voltage line.

Information provided by Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson, who can be reached in Dallas at 214-327-8000, in Fort Worth at 817-294-1900, and anywhere in Texas toll free at 877-294-1115. He can also be contacted by clicking here.

A driver suspected of being drunk drove his car through the front of a Wal-Mart this morning. After crashing through the front doors he then jumped into the bed of a passing pickup and tried to flee. The pickup driver collided with several cars in the parking lot as he tried to remove the man from his truck.

According to witnesses the man drove erratically through the parking lot before crashing his vehicle into the front of the Wal-Mart near I-30 and Eastchase Parkway in Fort Worth, Texas. Unfortunately the car accident injured a Wal-Mart employee who was standing near the front of the store.

Police arrested the driver suspected of being drunk.

Drunk driving is a bad problem. This guy was drinking in the morning and was driving through a busy parking lot. It is amazing that more people were not injured. At this time of year with all of the back-to-school shopping, it is very fortunate that there were no children injured or killed. I certainly hope that the Wal Mart employee is OK.

Information provided by Mark A. Anderson, Fort Worth Injury Lawyer.

Litigation is about to begin surrounding the collapse of the Dallas Cowboys practice facility which happened back on May 2. The collapse injured 11 people and permanently paralyzed Cowboys scouting assistant Rich Behm.

Behm has hired Dallas-based injury lawyer Frank Branson who has already deposed the president of the company who built the structure—Summit Structures. Branson has also asked for company records; apparently, the Cowboys were aware of a previous structure failure constructed by Summit Structures, but chose to go with them anyway when building the practice dome.

Behm will not be suing the Cowboys, however, since Behm was covered by worker’s compensation, which bars him from filing suit against the organization.

Instead, Behm will go after Summit Structures for the poor building quality which left Behm with permanent life-changing injuries. According to Irving building code, the practice facility was supposed to have been able to stand wind gusts up to 90 mph. The day of the storm, winds were between 70 and 85 mph according to the National Weather Service.

Apparently, Summit Structures President, Nathan Stobbe is basing his defense on the severe weather and “downdraft” of wind that fateful day. A civil proceeding to allow for pre-lawsuit discovery has been filed. A lawsuit will no doubt follow soon.

Information provided by Fort Worth Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer Mark A. Anderson 817-294-1900.

If you have been injured in an automobile wreck, truck collision, motorcycle crash, or any other type of accident which causes personal injuries in Texas, you must be aware of the relevant law called the Statute of Limitations. This law requires you to file a lawsuit at a local Texas Courthouse within two years of the date of the accident. If you have not resolved your injury case before then, it is absolutely imperative that this very strict two-year deadline is complied with. Failing to file a lawsuit within the two-year time frame eliminates your right to pursue a claim forever.

And it's imporatant not to wait until the eve of your two years to think about purusing an injury claim. If you've been injured as the result of another person's negligence, you should consider hiring a Board Certified Injury Attorney as soon as possible after your accident. Sooner is better because crucial evidence must be collected before it disappears. Plus, it's very common for injured parties to make mistakes on their claims if they don't have the guidance of an experienced personal injury lawyer.

The common mistakes injury victims make are discussed in detail in the newly released book by Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. It's appropriately titled, 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Case. This informative book is available for FREE to Texas residents who may order it by calling 817-294-1900 or by visiting: www.DontWreckYourCase.com.

New reports are being released which indicate the Dallas Cowboys organization was aware of potential building flaws prior to the recent collapse of its practice facility in Irving, Texas.
The collapse happened May 2 after a strong thunderstorm knocked parts of the roof off while the team practiced, injuring 12 people and permanently paralyzing one team employee from the waist down.

The Cowboys hired Canada-based Summit Structures back in 2003 to design and build their practice structure, even with the knowledge that a Philadelphia building constructed by the same company had collapsed after a snowstorm. Fortunately, that collapse happened on a weekend and no one was injured. However, the Cowboys weren’t so lucky and now they might have to pay for their error.

Experts have concluded that design and construction flaws including the overall engineering of the structure was what caused the Cowboy facility to fail. Cowboy organization spokespeople declined to say whether they were warned about the Philadelphia incident or how much research they did on Summit before contracting their services.

It is clear now though, that reports, text messages and comments from multiple sources have been leaked which show there was some sort of knowledge on the part of the organization that they didn’t feel the facility was built as well as it could have been.

For the unfortunate few who were hurt in the collapse, they have multiple options should they decide to pursue a claim. There is the designer/builder Summit Structures and any related contractors who might have been negligent. But what about a personal injury claim against the Cowboys? If the Cowboys provided its employees with workers compensation coverage, then no claim can be brought against them by their own employees—the workers comp benefits are their sole source from the Cowboys. But if the Cowboys did not provide comp (it’s not mandatory) or if the injured person was not employed by the Cowboys, then any successful claim would have to prove negligence on behalf of the Cowboys to be successful.

If you have been injured as the result of another person or company’s negligence and you feel you have a valid claim, please contact the Anderson Law Firm to learn your rights at 817-294-1900.

If you have been injured in an auto accident, or any other type of accident for that matter, you have a ton of options when it comes down to hiring a lawyer for your Texas accident claim. Hiring an attorney is a very important decision and it's sometimes very difficult to try and weed through all of the attorneys out there who hold themselves out as being “injury attorneys.” So how do you know you're making the right decision? The best thing to do is to limit your search to only attorneys who are Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. This is a designation held by only 2% of the roughly 80,000 lawyers who practice law in Texas.

What does it mean to be Board Certified? It means that the attorney has passed a rigorous test on injury topics, has tried a certain number of cases to a jury, has been recommended by local attorneys and judges and has been practicing a certain number of years. There are plenty of qualified attorneys in Texas who are Board Certified, so there's no reason that an injury victim should settle for a lawyer who is not Board Certified.

The importance of hiring a Board Certified Injury Attorney is discussed in Mark A. Anderson’s new book, 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck your Texas Accident Case. This book is full of information which is helpful to accident victims. The Anderson Law Firm is offering a copy of the book FREE to Texas residents. To order your free copy, please call the firm at 817-294-1900. The book can also be ordered online at www.DontWreckYourCase.com.

A man was died yesterday in southeastern Robertson County when the rig he was working on leaked and blew out. The oil field accident occurred just after 3 p.m. off FM 1940, 10 miles east of Franklin, Texas near Camp Creek Lake . This gas well site is 30 miles north of Boston, Texas.

When the blast happened, the man was hit by a piece of pipe. He later died at St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan. He remains unidentified until relatives are notified of his death.
The well is operated by EnCana which is a Canadian company.

WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIMS

In instances like this, there is potential for the family of the man who died to make a wrongful death claim on his behalf. If the man was employed by EnCana (the rig owner), in order for it to be a valid claim, the blow out would have to have been caused by a third party—or another company’s—negligence. Determining fault (or liability) would be the key factor in a case like this. Basically, if the man’s death resulted from the negligence of someone other than his employer or a co-employee (who is not covered by the same Worker’s Compensation as him), then there is the potential to make a valid wrongful death claim.

If you have questions about wrongful death or oil field accident claims, please contact Board Certified Texas Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson for a free consultation to learn your rights.

An on-the-job accident today killed 56 year old crane operator at Delta Steel in South Fort Worth. The man, Johnny Little, was operating an overhead crane to move a 5 ton piece of metal when the metal fell and struck him on the head. Mr. Little was pronounced dead at the scene. Mr. Little was from Joshua and had worked at Delta Steel since 1997. A total of 527 workplace deaths were reported in Texas in 2007, the last year those statistics are available.

If you a loved one has experienced a serious injury of death as the result of the negligence of another person or company, then please call Board Certified Injury Lawyer Mark Anderson for a free consultation at 817-294-1900 or Contact Mark Anderson Online

Date: January 30, 2009
Location: I35E and Saner Ave.
Type: truck and car accident

A man was critically injured Friday after a rock-hauling 18-wheeler crushed his Toyota Corolla on Interstate-35E at Saner Avenue in Dallas, Texas. Somehow, the large truck wound up with its rear wheels on top of his small car and several firefighters had to extricate the man before he was quickly transported to Methodist Hospital in Dallas in critical condition. The man’s passenger, a woman, was able to escape the vehicle and was not injured. The wreck, which happened right around 2 p.m., shut down the interstate until 4:40 p.m. when everything was finally cleared. An accident investigation is being conducted to determine how the wreck occurred. The driver of the rock-hauler was not injured.

Information provided by Texas Board Certified Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson. Photo courtesy of NBC5.com.

A bizarre truck accident in Benbrook, Texas left one man dead when the 18-wheeler he was driving swerved off of Southwest Loop 820 and unded crunched up under a bridge. The truck was carrying water bottles. The accident happened at 7:15 p.m. Thursday evening under the Winscott Road bridge. Three other cars driving the same direction as the semi-truck were involved and one man was taken to the hospital with injuries.

The bridge was closed last night until early this morning so it could be checked for structural damage.

As of now, no facts have been released which would reveal the reason for the accident. A thorough accident investigation might turn up what happened. The best source of facts for this investigation will be witness interviews and collection of the scene evidence, like skid marks, for example. The truck should also be equipped with an Engine Control Module (ECM) which may give useful information such as how fast the truck was going at the time of the crash.

Yesterday in Dallas, Texas, two workers were injured in a construction accident when a crane lowering a 9-ton pipe toppled over. The weight of the crane caused the cab of the machine to lift off the ground, leaning over the side of a building at a 45-degree angle. The pipe fell and landed on two work vehicles, while the actual crane landed on the roof. The injured included a man in one of the work vehicles who suffered a head injury when the pipe crashed into the vehicle roof. The other was a man on the roof of the building who suffered injuries to his legs and ankles.

(Photo courtesy of Star-Telegram.com)

There seems to be a rash of construction accidents involving cranes in Texas lately. Back in June, a man died in Dallas when something fell from a crane and struck him, and the very next day, three workers were hurt when a crane cable snapped at the new Cowboy stadium in Arlington. Then in July, a similar thing happened in Houston when a heavy crane toppled, but that time, the accident was so bad, that four people were killed and another seven workers were badly injured. These accidents just go to show how hazardous and unstable construction sites can be—especially when there is large machinery involved like tall cranes.

Not all of these on-the-job accidents end up in the civil legal system. First of all, the existence of worker’s compensation insurance coverage plays a role. If the injured party was covered by worker’s comp, and the accident was due to the negligence of a co-worker, then the laws of the State of Texas prohibit the injured party from making a claim against his employer. If there is no worker’s comp coverage, or if the responsible party is not a co-employee, then the injured party or their family is able to make a claim against the negligent person or company for damages.

The analysis of whether a claim can be made and who it should be against is sometimes tricky. If you are faced with the problems assocaited with an on-the-job injury, take advantage of the free case review offered by Board Certified Personal Injury Attorney Mark A. Anderson of Fort Worth, Texas.